1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a breathing mask with built in sensors for monitoring patients with sleep apnea, breathing disorders for use during anesthesia or ventilation support.
2. Description of the Related Art
Masks such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,971 for applying a positive pressure to patients with apnea and other breathing disorders have been developed. These masks provide seals for preventing air from escaping from the mask at the junction of the mask and face. Other types of masks for gas delivery to a patient are also in common use.
Measuring air flows to a patient has been accomplished by metering sensors in the air supply connected to the mask as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,146 or by belts around the patients chest to measure his breathing as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,399.
Some devices such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,716 provide sensors combined with sleep masks for covering the eyes of a patient. However there is no known example of sensors built into breathing masks for monitoring or studying patients with breathing disorders.
Currently if a patient is to be carefully monitored a plurality of electrodes or sensors would have to be individually applied to the patient and wired to recording equipment. The plurality of sensors and tangle of ensuing wires impede the usage of such monitoring equipment. Sensors providing useful information include Electra-encephalogram (EEG), electromyography (EMG), electro-oculogram (EOG), electro-cardiogram (ECG), Pulse Transit Time (PTT), gas flow sensors, temperature sensors, microphones, blood oxygen meters, blood pressure sensors, pulse sensors, patient movement, position, light, activity sensors, mask leakage, mask pressure, eye movement by polyvinylidene flouride-(PVD) or Piezo, and other means of gathering data about the patient or his environment.
It is very inconvenient for the patient and the health care worker to attach a series of different devices to a patient to monitor a plurality of different parameters simultaneously. Therefore a single device for easily measuring a plurality of parameters is desired.